- Conference
- 2014 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 6 December 2013
- Decision
- Carried
Conference calls on the Westminster Government and the three devolved administrations to recognise and accept their responsibility for providing a quality, safe and healthy food environment for its patients, staff and visitors. It is further recognised that when a patient is recuperating, food is often a make or break experience in terms of morale during a hospital stay and can greatly assist in recovery.
We therefore call on them to create a National Health Service food strategy based on quality rather than cost. In recognising the substantial monies currently being spent on food purchasing to use the collective buying power to ensure best value whilst still supporting local growers and producers would sustain the wider health economy and local economy. Conference demands that this strategy:
1)ensures NHS catering services are equipped with the resources, knowledge and sensitivities to respond to cultural and minority ethnic diet needs;
2)sets a target of sourcing 25% of all supplies from organic producers by 2015 and 50% by 2017;
3)sets a target of sourcing 50% of all supplies from fair-trade suppliers (where there is a supplier for that commodity) by 2015 and 100% by 2017;
4)ensures that by 2017 patients and staff will have a daily option of an organic main meal;
5)guarantees the use of fresh local produce for preparation by NHS employed chefs on the day of consumption, where possible, making healthy food more enticing, accessible and varied;
6)seeks to actively engage with all suppliers with regards to the use of pesticides, steroids, antibiotics and additives to positively manage their reduction whilst at all times ensuring food quality and safety;
7)establishes a commitment to the daily provision of quality, fresh, safe and healthy food as near to the patient, staff and visitors as possible and dismiss the concept of cook chill/cook freeze production. Local production also enables a far more flexible response to special diets such as gluten free, nut allergy, vegan and other diets.
Implementation of this strategy will achieve patient, staff and visitor satisfaction with recognition that this can only be achieved by producing real food locally.
Conference further calls on the four administrations to immediately introduce an apprenticeship scheme that will ensure all trainee chefs are employed on Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions, will be appropriately trained in a safe environment and will have the opportunity of real meaningful permanent employment.